The Benji Project was founded in 2017 in response to the suicide of a cherished Port Townsend teenager.

Vision

Young people thrive navigating life's ups and downs with resilience.

Mission

We teach proven mindfulness and self-compassion tools to young people and their families and communities. Through classes, workshops and camps, we build capacity for stress management and emotional resilience.

Background

Benji Project programming serves youth ages 11 to 19 and their families in East Jefferson County, Washington. Jefferson County is a rural area on the Olympic Peninsula. Much of the county is economically disadvantaged and suffers from a lack of mental health resources. We serve all teens regardless of means, and 85 percent of our participants in after-school and camp programming receive full or partial scholarships.

MILESTONES

In 2017: 

  • Our first programs offered to the community

  • We gained non-profit status through fiscal sponsorship from StrongerTowns. 


In 2018: 

  • Two teacher-training scholarships awarded, to build capacity with locally trained instructors. 


In 2019: 

  • In-school programming began, initially at Port Townsend High School. 


In 2020:

  • In response to the Covid pandemic, we pivoted to virtual sessions for Port Townsend High School and Blue Heron classes. 

  • Online drop-in sessions offered throughout the spring. 


In 2021: 

  • Mindfulness Circles held outdoors for small groups of students. 


In 2022:

  • We moved into an office space at 280 Quincy St. in downtown Port Townsend.

  • In partnership with Olympic Pride, we offered our first LGBTQ+camp. 

  • In partnership with OCEAN, in the Port Townsend School District, we developed a year-round credit-bearing course entitled LABWell, or Living and Being Well. 

In 2023:

  • We offered our first Kindness Club series in the Brinnon School District.  

  • We hired six additional local instructors. 

  • We became our own independent non-profit organization.

VALUES

  • We honor the common humanity of mental and emotional struggle, while recognizing that each person’s life experience is unique.

  • We believe that mental health is integral to individual and community well-being.

  • We dedicate ourselves to fostering a sense of belonging among all youth in our community, especially those whose voices are less often heard.

  • We use evidence-based programs and innovative approaches to respond to the needs of our community. 

  • We seek to embody mindfulness and compassion in our interactions with ourselves and those we serve.